Other Issues
Through the work of committees, Solidarity Kjipuktuk / Halifax engaged certain issues in a sustained and consistent way. But Solidarity Kjipuktuk / Halifax also engaged in a number of other projects and issues outside of our regular committee structure in order to be responsive to changing struggles and needs both locally and globally.
International Solidarity
While the political focus of Solidarity Kjipuktuk / Halifax was on Nova Scotia, and the Halifax Municipal Region in particular, we were also active in establishing networks of communication, cooperation and solidarity at the national and international levels with organizations that share similar political objectives. We stated political positions and issue statements in solidarity with international anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles.
Of particular note, we were involved in the establishment of a pan-Canada/Québec network of Left political organizations and also in fostering ties with the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).
Education and Student Solidarity
Solidarity Kjipuktuk / Halifax supported the fight to reduce economic and social barriers to post secondary education and to oppose the increased cost of tuition in Canada. Accessible education is a cornerstone of democracy that reduces inequality and strengthens our society.
We believe education should be democratic and free.
Municipal Action
Solidarity Kjipuktuk / Halifax engaged in municipal politics as a way of reaching working class people outside of popular social movements and to address the city and its policies as a site of resistance against capitalism.
In the 2016 HRM municipal election, Solidarity Kjipuktuk /Halifax ran a candidate in District 5 – Dartmouth Centre. This campaign addressed the needs for fare-free transit, affordable housing, and free recreation programs. Running this campaign helped us reach more communities and raise peoples’ collective expectations about what a city is and can be.
The Ballot Box or the Street?
While systemic change rarely comes from elections, is there still a need for radicals to participate in electoral politics? Can electoral politics be used to shift public debate toward an anti-capitalist analysis?
In the lead up to the 2013 provincial election, Solidarity Kjipuktuk / Halifax hosted a panel to address these questions. Watch the video here: